Egyptian security forces capture African migrants in Sinai

Egyptian security forces have captured 56 Eritrean and Sudanese nationals in central Sinai, Israel Radio reported on Tuesday.

According to the report, the migrants were headed toward the Israeli border when they were apprehended.

In the past few months, since the fall of the Mubarak regime, Egyptian soldiers had rarely taken action to stop the cross-border infiltration. During a visit to Cairo last week, prime ministerial envoy Yitzhak Molcho met with military leaders and stressed the importance of shielding the border from smuggling and infiltration attempts.

In recent years, Israel has faced a flood of African refugees and migrant workers entering the country illegally via Egypt. It is estimated that there are roughly 70,000 African migrants currently residing in Israel.

The large influx has caused tensions in Israel, particularly in the cities of Eilat and Arad and in the southern neighborhoods of Tel Aviv, where most of the Africans end up.

Due to the lack of basic human rights in their home countries, Sudanese  and Eritrean migrants who arrive in Israel and ask for asylum are protected from deportation.